Hat Yai is the largest city of Southern Thailand and is part of the Greater Hat Yai-Songkhla Metropolitan Area (with a population of about 730,000) which include 2 big districts (Hat Yai, Mueang Songkhla) and 4 small neighboring districts (Bang Klam, Khlong Hoi Khong, Na Mom, Singhanakhon), forming the largest metropolitan area in the south, and the fourth-largest metropolitan area of the country.

Originally named Khok Samet Chun (โคกเสม็ดชุน, "shore eugenia knoll"), Hat Yai was a small village until the southern railway was built there, making it one of the major rail hubs of the time.

[2] In 1928, Hat Yai was made a community (chumchon), which was upgraded to a sanitary district (sukhaphiban) on December 11, 1935.

As a result of the town's continuing growth, on August 13, 1968, a larger, new municipal administration building was opened.

Hat Yai Junction has become the transportation hub of southern Thailand since the railway was constructed.

Asian highway 18 originates in Hat Yai and runs south along the east coast of the Malay peninsula.

Hat Yai Bus Terminal is a major transport hub in southern Thailand.

It offers bus services that link Hat Yai with nearly every town and city in the southern region as well as other destinations, including Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima.

There are also several private minibus services which focus on tourist destinations, including Phuket, Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Pak Bara Peer in Satun (a gateway to the islands in the southern Andaman Sea), Langkawi, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.

Hat Yai has a tropical monsoon climate (Am), which is hot and humid, like other parts of Southern Thailand.

Their main products are imported processed food, cosmetics, fabrics, gadgets and electrical appliances.

On the first floor of the building, there are fresh foods, such as vegetables, meats, certain seafood, groceries, clothes, snacks, and dry foodstuffs.

It is well known that Kim Yong Market has many kinds of dry foodstuffs from China and snacks like chocolates and chips from Malaysia.

[citation needed] The city has two large weekend markets, namely Asian Trade and Greenway, which are both located on Kanchanavanit Road.

[citation needed] Held on the first night of October, Chak Phra is a Buddhist festival specific to the south of Thailand.

It is celebrated with Buddha boat processions or sports events like a run up Khao Tang Kuan hill.